


Mirror Image

by orphan_account



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human/Troll Society, Alternate Universe - No Lord English, Alternate Universe - No Sburb Session, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-07-21
Packaged: 2018-07-10 13:48:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6987550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Skaia and Alternia are continents of the planet Hyalus, and have been at peace for four-hundred and thirteen years, at the will of ancient gods and master manipulators. There will be drama, and alot of it, at least after the prologue, and especially between our protagonist twins. I plan on crushing your hearts on multiple occasions so please be prepared for that, though it'll be more fun If you are not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. > [Prologue] The Gemini Curse

**Author's Note:**

> Just so y'all know I'll be following the [#ShardsOfHyalus](https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/shardsofhyalus) tag on Tumblr if anyone has anything for this AU that they want to share, tag it as such and I should see it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really short chapter but I hope to write a whole lot more in future chapters so look out for that.  
> Check out my blog [aldrensertan](http://aldrensertan.tumblr.com/) for Mirror Image art, Strider Reblogs, and other Homestuck trash.  
> Also I'm definitely up for fanart ([submit here](http://aldrensertan.tumblr.com/Submissions)), especially since my Art skills are pretty much limited to editing, even that isn't all that good but still.

Years in the past, ~~but not many~~ , a King battles an Empress while [twin gods](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7244083) watch with curiosity from the heavens.

The Kingdom of Skaia faces the Empire of Alternia, a fruitless war that neither will win. Both monarchs become restless, and look to their gods for advice. Both trying to pinpoint what started this war, the Empress too ancient to remember, and the King too young to know.

The twins took pity on the Skaian King, for he was fighting the battles of a man generations before his own. They knew what caused the war, and wished to end it. However, they couldn’t agree on the best way to do so, Calliope wanted to take the magic from the world, while her brother, Caliborn, wished to grant the Skaians that very magic. Both options would end the war, both had the potential for peace, yet both had the potential for chaos.  
Twelve days later, the gods summoned Meenah Peixes, Empress of Alternia and Daniel Strider, King of Skaia, to the palace of Echidna and Hephaestus. Neither knew the other would be there, nor what the intentions of the visit would be, but both accepted considering the invitation a sign of hope. When they arrived, they almost cut each other to shreds, were it not for the twins’ will to intervene.

The deities stood before them, angelic wings sprouting from their backs, and gave them a proposition. To the Skaian King they said that from this moment on, for sixteen generations, the Strider line will always sire twins, one born of magic, and the other not. The twins would rule as one king, at least until the tradition is inevitably broken mere 6 generations later, thus granting other Skaians magic, to stand a chance in a world of Alternians. On the sixteenth generation two sets of twins will be born from a dying King. In contrast, the Empress was told as follows, for every four Skaian generations, one Alternian will be born with the Blood of Skaia, and will quell the darkness that plagues many Alternians, reassuring peace within themselves and as such peace with the Skaians, where by the fourth incarnation, Skaians and Alternians will unite under one banner.

Later both species would begin to call this The Gemini Curse, a fitting name if I do say so myself. While I won’t go into depth of my own involvement in this story, I can assure you, everyone was played like a bunch of suckers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beware the Omniscient Narrator.  
> Please leave comments I plan on responding to them!


	2. > [I] Surrounded yet Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we meet Crow Strider and read through his telegraphlogs, messes with time, gets hassled by his cyborg brother, lupine future girlfriend and catches the attention of a certain Mr Vanilla Milkshake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Crow Strider is inspired by an AU of the same name by [davspritte](http://davspriite.tumblr.com/), and of course the canon Davesprite.

Generations in the future, ~~but not many~~ , two pairs of twins have dinner with their guardian. Within one of these pairs a boy with orange wings sulks stirring his food. We shall strive to remember his name, which is to say, I shall tell you his name.

Your name is ~~Birdbrain Beakface~~ Crow Strider, and you are sulking because of a certain curse that is ruining your life, though both your own twin and the other pair of twins would consider it a gift.

“I’m done with dinner.” You stand up deciding not to finish your food.

“Crow.” The stern yet worried voice of Ambrose, or Bro as you've all come to know him, is the last thing you hear as you step away from the table and disappear, quite literally might I add. A lone orange feather is left behind as a reminder you were even there.

You would appear in your room roughly three hours later, not wanting to deal with anyone during that uneventful period of time. Your personal transmitter has printed out several green and bubbly telegrams for reading. You know exactly who it is from, and you feel sorry for leaving her on her own for those three hours. The telegraph transmitter works with both magic and science. Only a few people have them, while the rest of the world uses the regular Morse telegraph transmitters. Most of those who own the magically enhanced version you keep in contact with already, and others you have yet to meet. While others still are waiting to contact you, and trust me, you do not want to have a conversation with me, but you will, in time.

Messages from gardenGnostic [GG] transmitted to davidSprite [DS] in the pm of 10:25.  
GG: hey crow!!!  
GG: youre skulking off into nowhen again arent you  
GG: bluh bluh huge bird! when you finally decide to show up message me! :B

You read and reread the messages a few times before deciding what to send back. Not to go on a tangent but your handle was chosen, around ten years ago, as a way to remember the late King David but also out of irony, or better said spite, against your twin brother and future king, Dave.

DS: sup  
DS: sorry not feeling it today Jade  
DS: talk tomorrow  
Last message transmitted by davidSprite [DS] to gardenGnostic [GG] in the am of 1:25.

Hiding within the embrace of your wings you want to just fade out of the world again, but that could cause unwanted trouble, so you know not to mess with time for extended periods. Then someone I quite admire for his broken moral compass decides to message you.

Messages from archaicRhymes [AR] to davidSprite [DS] in the am of 1:40.  
AR: I know full well that you are not going to be asleep.  
AR: In fact there is a 100% possibility you are not currently asleep.  
AR: Don’t make me overheat your telegraph transmitter Crow.  
DS: for the love of green serpents leave me the fuck alone hal  
AR: Ah there you are, took you long enough, do you want to know how long you took.  
DS: no!  
AR: You took precisely 3 hours to come out of your bubble in time.  
DS: what do you care  
DS: its not like you have to deal with a bunch of bullshit day in and day out  
DS: you got lucky with your powers sure you almost fucking died  
DS: you can at least go OUTSIDE do you know how much i miss outside hal  
DS: no how would you all three of you go outside on a regular fucking basis  
AR: And you sneak out just as much so don’t act all pissy Crow.  
DS: oh look at that  
DS: i can sneak out of the castle  
DS: who would have thought THAT was a possibility  
DS: youre all ALLOWED outside hal   
DS: stop acting like a know it all for once in your half-robo life  
DS: now let me fucking sleep  
Last message transmitted by davidSprite [DS] to archaicRhymes [AR] in the am of 1:52.

You scream and curse every deity in existence while hiding in your feathers, why can’t they leave you alone for once in your life? Hal with his mind games and Dirk with his drama, even Dave bugs you constantly being around him. You’re both similar and having that reflected at you, mirrored if you will, in a sense which possibly borders on the titular, doesn’t help much. Not only is he a mirror of you, but he’s also better, you look up to him, wish you were more like him, but also wish you weren’t. I won’t even go into the details of a possible ambush by Bro himself, you’re never prepared for those, everyone else is, but never you. Sometimes you feel like you’re just some cheap knock off of Dave found in the bins outside the Strider Market. As if the universe wasn’t being awful to you already.

Too dangerous to be outside, too emotionally unstable to remain here, you’re always stuck, no matter what happens, you’ll be bound to this castle, likely until the day you die. It is almost as if the place was designed after some game out there in paradox space, to keep you trapped in your room. You use this time to cry yourself to sleep, this allows you to remain almost perfectly calm throughout the day, never having to give hints to your broken mental health. In the morning you’re just about awake when Jade sends you a telegram.

Messages from gardenGnostic [GG] transmitted to davidSprite [DS] in the am of 8:09.  
GG: crow!  
GG: good morning :B  
GG: hope youre feeling better! and that your brothers arent being a pain  
DS: hey  
GG: finally! do you know how worried i was for you??  
DS: about as worried as you always are for me  
DS: which is to say extremely worried  
GG: exactly!!  
DS: was there something you wanted to tell me last night  
GG: yes! its so exciting, me and jake are going to arrive to the mainland in two days time!  
DS: you left [hellmurder island](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7276576)  
GG: stop calling it that, grr  
DS: careful your wolf might shine through  
GG: youre going to squawk, or something stupid like that any minute and you know it!  
DS: unlike you i cant hide my inner bird  
GG: stop being such a grouch and be happy youre going to see me soon!  
GG: i better go now, got to deal with some things on this stupid glorified hot air balloon  
DS: see ya jade  
Last message transmitted by davidSprite [DS] to gardenGnostic [GG] in the am of 8:16.

You let out a smile looking towards the sky, you’ve known Jade almost your entire life, like with all of your friends, though she’s your best friend, and you spend most of your time talking with her, sometimes even roleplaying, what good are wings if not for roleplaying. Flying is an option, but you remember, when you were thirteen-sixteen, spending three years mostly flying that you almost forgot how to walk.

Being around Jade makes you forget your issues, you’re both similar, in a way, due to your various curses, you with the Gemini Curse, and she with the Bilunar Curse. Sure hers only bothers her when both Prospit and Derse are at their fullest, but it is still very much something you can related to, having to hide from the world. You also remember she’ll be with her devilbeast, a rather harsh term if I do say so myself, but not inaccurate, and you just cannot wait to have to deal with yet another pain in your feathers, but just maybe you’ll get to spend some time with her before she’s sent back to the Genesis Forge with her older brother. “I’ll miss you,” you sigh before getting dressed.

Your clothes are specially designed clothes so that you can easily dress even with the giant wings sprouting out of your back. Due to this, much of what you own is too regal for your liking but it will have to do. You’re ready for what you have a feeling will be a very long day.

And so we come to the end of our first chapter, where we have met one of two protagonists. What sort of story would this be, where the other is as perfect as his brother sees him to be? Certainly not one a master manipulator and excellent host such as myself would allow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd really love feedback on how I did with the characters, so that I can improve in the future.  
> Making Striders miserable is pretty much how I role for this fic.


	3. > [II] Overshadowed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where we are introduced to Dave Strider, find out Dirk and Hal have been working on inventing the internet, Dirk tries to be a comforting older brother for Dave, Hal is a dick and Scratch is pissed off that the chapter ends positively.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea that Dirk is there for everyone when they need him, even if he does sacrifice his own feelings in the process.

Shall we meet the second twin? The red to Crow’s orange, the Derse to his Prospit, the dullness to his magic. Similar yet different, born of magic, but unable to access it. Such is the nature of curses, or blessings, depends who you ask, but I assure you, it was definitely intended as a curse.

Your name is Dave Strider and you are the youngest of the Strider household. Of course this is only by mere minutes, in the case of Crow, but that doesn’t stop you from feeling overshadowed by all of your brothers.

Yesterday at dinner, Crow was having one of his meltdowns again, but even then, he’s allowed to leave, no one bothers to stop him. Just you try something like that, Bro would have your head. Maybe in some other universe you got the powers, then you’d both be happy. You try your best to make him comfortable with himself, but it tends to backfire, which is why you haven’t spoken to him yet. Though he does seem cheerier today, maybe you should follow his example and do the same, or maybe not.

Despite the many rooms in the castle you both share a room, and have done so your entire lives, while he’s getting dressed you’re still in bed trying to get the strength to get up.

Crow flies out of the window, dramatic little shit, he’s not trying to flaunt his wings, but somehow manages to do that anyway.

“Get the fuck out of bed Dave, we’ve got to prepare for guests,” Bro definitely does not look or sound amused with your current state.

You almost roll your eyes but know better than to incur his wrath, multiple katana shaped ridges in your skin serve as a painful reminder. So you decide to get out of the warmth of your blanket and to the wardrobe, to find something suitable for helping out with preparations, for whoever it is that will be coming in who knows what amount of time. 

Damn Bro and his perfectionism and need for control, Dirk shares this with him, to an extent, but not nearly as much.

“I’ll see you in the banquet hall then,” you tell him in a tired voice. Had it been anyone else you’d have likely had a witty retort ready. Especially after how they may or may not have rudely woken you up, but as I’ve already stated, you know better than to mess with Bro.

As you make your way out of your room you get stopped by Hal, and you really don’t want to be dealing with him right now. So why don’t we have you deal with Hal.

“Hello Dave,” he greets you in a tone that’s even more monotonous than the rest of your family’s, and his grin just gives you the creeps.

“Sup Hal.” You sigh knowing you’re stuck here for some time.

“Don’t be like that Dave, what have ever done to you? Actually you know what, don’t answer that, just come with me.”

“Do I have a choice in the matter?”

“No.”

You humour him, because if you don't he'll play victim and bring up the [incident](http://archiveofourown.org/works/7282348) that made him more AI than Skaian, despite you knowing he wouldn't trade his current body for anything in the world, and all the advantages he gets from it, you'll still end up feeling guilty for not giving him at least some of your time and attention, and he knows that.

Hal takes you to his room, which you might as well not call a room, maybe more like a control centre. You normally make a conscious effort to avoid this place, today just is not your lucky day.

“Dirk and I have been working on something for a while.” He states in a matter of fact tone as he hooks himself up to the many wires in the room.

“Does this interest me?”

“Not directly.”

“So why am I here?”

“I wanted you to see this Dave, be grateful will you.”

“Urgh you were so much better when you were still Skaian.”

“I disagree.”

“Whatever.”

“Dave focus, I didn’t bring you here for you to go on a tangent about how much you hate me, I have Dirk for that.”

“So why did you bring me here Hal.”

“Look at the screen.”

One of the weird glass panels he has in this place lights up showing a map of Hyalus with varying coloured lines connecting different locations, some are solid while others are dashed. Alternia has plenty of solid lines, and most of their dashed lines link with Skaia, with a few exceptions. Skaia actually has very few solid lines, to be precise, they are all centred in and around Dersite Castle, your home, named after the purple moons Derse.

“Hal what bullshit is this exactly? I mean other than the fact you’ve managed to get things to display on glass, which I already knew about, and do NOT want to get into that discussion again.”

“This ‘bullshit’ as you so elegantly put it is my attempt to recreate the Alternian intercontinental network.”

“There is no fucking way you succeeded doing that Hal.”

“No, not in the way you think, they use biotechnology, mine is 100% mechanical, therefore more efficient, if I say so myself, and I do.”

“Smug little shit.”

“Now Dave, don’t be like that, if you’d just let me explain how it wor-”

You interrupt him, “-maybe some other time.”

“Don’t make me lock the door.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“There is a 100% chance that I will.”

“Fuck you.”

“Sorry we’re siblings Dave.”

“Urgh fine I’ll stay.”

“Thank you. Now how about I explain how this works, we’ll use a messaging program Dirk and I created, based off of our telegraphs, just watch the screen.”

\-- archaicRhymes [AR] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 10:29 –-  
AR: Hello Dirk.  
TT: I see this is actually working, great now I have you in my face both literally and figuratively all the fucking time.  
AR: Everywhere I look all I see is blonde Strider boys finding ways to insult me.  
TT: Likely because you are an asshole Hal.  
AR: I don’t dispute that fact.  
TT: I was hoping we wouldn’t succeed but with your meticulous planning and my engineering skills that was unlikely wasn’t it.  
TT: Fuck, I just invited you to calculate the probability this would fail didn’t I.  
AR: Yes.  
AR: The probability of our endeavour failing was precisely 12.9%, which is to say low enough for it to not mean anything.  
TT: Caliborn damnit Hal.  
TT: Look I need to go help with preparations before Bro has my head.  
TT: If you need anything I doubt this will stop you from popping up in my goggles.  
\-- timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering archaicRhymes [AR] at 10:39 –-  


You have no idea what to even say at this point, you’re impressed sure, if not a little worried, where else could he get access to because of this ‘network’ they made, and what other ‘programs’ has he got, are they all as harmless as this ‘pesterchum’ messaging program?

“There is a 50-50 chance you are either scared or impressed, with these odds it might as well be both.”

“Hal.”

“What Dave?”

“This is...”

“Yes?”

“...”

Hours in the future, but not many

Messages from turntechGodhead [TG] transmitted to archaicRhymes [AR] in the pm of 9:21.  
TG: hal  
TG: that was  
TG: amazing  
TG: and i hate you for it  
AR: I love you too Dave.  
Last message transmitted by turntechGodhead [TG] to archaicRhymes [AR] in the pm of 9:22.

Back in the present you decide you’re going to leave Hal in suspense for a few hours and leave his room, you’ve got guests to prepare for twins willing.

Though the twins that guard your world would probably cut you some slack, I shall not, cue Dirk at the next corner.

“Dave,” his voice stern, nearly like Bro’s, but somewhat kinder.

You groan, “I just finished dealing with Hal.”

“Well aren’t you lucky, I’m never finished dealing with him and you know that.”

“Especially now that he’s in your stupid triangle goggles.”

“Hey, they’re for protection, you know that.”

“You look like a fucking idiot.”

\-- archaicRhymes [AR] began pestering timaeusTestified [TT] at 10:44 –-  
AR: I agree.  
TT: Shut up.  
\-- timaeusTestified [TT] ceased pestering archaicRhymes [AR] at 10:44 –-

“Did Hal jus-”

He interrupts you coldly “-no.” He takes a deep breath, “look, I’m just working on something and I thought you might be able to help me test it.”

“Well I doubt I have a choice in the matter now do I Dirk, actually no, don’t answer that, where are we going?”

“I... Dave you don’t actually have to you know.”

“Dirk I’m offering, how about we get on with it before I change my mind.”

“Suit yourself, we’re going to my workshop.”

You head downstairs to the castle baseme- Dirk’s workshop, to see what he’s made this time.

This is yet another place you actively try to avoid, we might as well make a list of places you actively avoid. Maybe in doing so we can actually avoid them, or better still make sure you visit each one in turn.

As you step inside, you are met with wires everywhere, much like Hal’s room, but there are also more physical projects and other pieces lying around. Early prototypes for the telegraph transmitters used by your friends, varying models of dirigible engines, as well as for other aircrafts. Telegrams to and from SkaiaNet, it’s enough to make you feel like you’re living in his shadow, what have you done? You’re no top engineer, intelligent half-machine, no fancy powers, you’re just Dave. Usually you’d be perfectly content being normal and even rather prefer it, but today is one of those days where you wish you were more.

“Dave, are you ok? Seriously dude you don’t need to stay if you’re feeling uncomfortable today.”

“What? No. I’m fine. I swear.”

“Alright, then come check this out.” He sounds both excited and soothing, you have no idea how he pulls it off. However you’ve always comfortable confiding in him. The exception to this is days like today, which if we’re being technical hasn’t even started and if we’re keeping track of time, which you are not, but I am.

You walk up to his desk, to see the thing he’s clearly excited about, but then he hands you a note written in orange, letting you leave

He gives you a faint smile, you know he’d rather you stayed, but you also know he’d blame himself if you did.

Later you would follow up on the offer and send him a telegram, it’s been very helpful in your family. Not having to face anyone directly if you weren’t up for it. Although John thinks it’s silly that you send telegrams despite being mere rooms apart, even if they are automatically printed by the transmitters. He’s probably right, but that’s never stopped you before.

Messages from turntechGodhead [TG] transmitted to timaeusTestified [TT] in the pm of 11:29.  
TG: sup  
TG: can i take up on that feelings jam offer  
TT: Sure.

Hours earlier, you would collect your thoughts before heading to the banquet hall to make yourself useful.

One of the servants comes up to you with a sense of urgency. “His majesty wishes to meet you outside on the castle grounds.”

“You know you can just call it the garden, I’m not all that bothered with technicalities,” before they answer you add “thank you for telling me I’ll head there right away, wouldn’t want to keep him waiting.

As you arrive you see Bro looking towards the other end of the unnecessarily large garden.

“Glad to see you’re finally up David,” a smirk on his face, you swear he calls you that to be annoying.

“Don’t call me that.” You roll your eyes and he turns to look at you. “So why’d you call me out here.”

“All in due time, walk with me,” he makes his way down the stairs towards the path.

It wasn’t an invitation so much as an order, you naturally comply and follow him. You walk together for a good few minutes before he speaks again.

“You have giving up a lot of your free time for the Kingdom for the past five years, you know, when you bother waking up,”

“Yeah I like this place, so I intend to keep it likeable, and functioning.”

“That’s why I called you out here, out of all of us, you do the most outside the castle,” he pauses and looks at you his smile the most genuine you’ve ever seen it, “you take an active role, while we deal with internal stuff, training, paperwork, occasional ambassadorial work etc.”

“Where is this going Bro?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

“Get where?”

“You’ll see.”

“Curse this family and its constant need to be coy.”

He doesn’t respond, only smirking at you, you’d find it unnerving on most occasions, but something about him today makes you at ease.

I think that's enough for now. This is not going my way unfortunately, curse this dark pocket in my vision. I may need to rework this story and it would be a shame if something unfortunate were to happen later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Ominous music*  
> Like I said Scratch really isn't happy about the end of this chapter, its also why he cut it off before we could find out what Bro called Dave out for, speculation predictions and theories are welcome and encouraged, would really love to hear from you all, whoever you may be haha.  
> Chapters are likely to be more or less this length from here on out, we'll see.


	4. > [III] Completely Pair Shaped*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Scratch would have been an excellent host at the Harley welcome back to Skaia feast, if he hadn't messed with the guests of honour and therefore cancelled the whole thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took eternity to do, and it's not much considering the time I spent on it, but still, hope y'all like it and can't wait to hear from you.
> 
> *No Dirks were decapitated in the making of this chapter.

Everything was set up, food was ready, the tables were ready, the castle was decorated, candles were lit, and the feast would have gone off without a hitch, except it never started. I made sure of that, never let your radioactive pet on board a two day flight.

“Where is she?!” you’re running into the ward, tears staining your cheeks, pushing past anyone in your way. Nurses try to calm you down but you ignore them at best with occasional expletive filled remarks.

“Crow,” Dave calls out to you, his voice melancholic, “I’m here alright.”

“No, don’t you fucking start, you don’t know what this is like right now Dave, you don’t get to be all supportive you haven’t lost anyone!”

“You’re forgetting what happened to Ha-”

You interrupt him “-yeah I know, sorry, but that was a long time ago, he got fucking better.”

“So will Jade, just have faith.”

Then you notice Jake a few meters away, and when you do you feel guilty, Jade got out without a scratch, while he looks almost as bad as Hal did all those years ago. By his bedside is Dirk, who looks like he’d be ready to cry any minute, but never does, it makes your guilt worse.

You decide to go to her bedside, you notice her dog, Becquerel, coincidentally one of the two First Guardians, is laying there, almost motionless except for his gentle breathing. Your first thought is why he didn’t do something to get them both down safely, he’s got the power to, he was supposed to look after her. You almost resent him for not doing anything. Though he may be omnipotent he is by no means omniscient, you factor that into account, maybe there wasn’t any time, but then again he can fetch bullets. In the end you decide it’s not fair to blame him, as much as you’d love to.

“I’m sorry,” your voice cracking as you hold one of her hands in both of yours. 

Hours in the past you are having conversations with Jade, Jake and Dirk via telegrams, whatever SkaiaNet did to make the telegraphs work so well, you’re thankful for it.  


Messages from Dersite Castle (davidSprite [DS], timaeusTestified [TT]) transmitted to the SN English (gardenGnostic [GG], golgothasTerror [GT]) in the pm of 3:14.  
DS: sup  
TT: You both got time for us up in your fancy dirigible?  
GG: of course we do silly! why wouldnt we?  
DS: its been two fucking days and you havent bothered with us mere princes  
GG: more like princesses if you ask me.  
TT: I’m not going to argue there.  
GT: Of course *you* wouldnt old pal.  
DS: im fucking laughing you two  
TT: Hello to you too Jake, how's your journey?  
DS: jade he hit me  
TT: Bullshit.  
GG: settle down you two! im not coming all the way from the forge just to be some sort of mediator between you  
GG: dirk say sorry  
TT: What? No.  
GG: i will send bec on you the minute we land  
TT: But.  
GT: You know she will dirk just apologise youre brothers after all.  
TT: Fine.  
DS: wow he apologised it’s a miracle  
TT: I’ll punch you again so help me Caliborn.  
DS: jade  
GG: ...  
TT: Fuck.  
DS: pfft  
GG: so how are you both im so excited to see you! :B  
GT: Were both beside ourselves about this actually.  
DS: im pretty sure the sentiment is similar from our end  
TT: Yeah we’ve all missed you both especially the orange half of our family.  
DS: ...you dont speak for me  
TT: Yes I do.  
DS: anyway something amazing happened for dave  
TT: Yeah, but our lips are better sealed than the castle vaults until you get here.  


The next three hours of their lives where perfect, it was like they were kids again, not a care in the world. It is a real shame we will not get to see any of that.

GT: Blimey we have to go somethings happened.  
DS: but  
TT: Jake? What’s going on over there?  
Messages from Dersite Castle (davidSprite [DS], timaeusTestified [TT]) failed to be transmitted to the SN English (gardenGnostic [GG], golgothasTerror [GT]) in the pm of 6:12 due to the fact that the SN English exploded in green flames.

At that moment the whole room seems to glow a lime green and you both rush to the window. Their dirigible lighting up the whole town as it descends towards the coast nearby.

You try to fly out but Dirk grabs your arm. “Crow, don’t be stupid there’s nothing we can do.”

You hesitate, “I have to do something.”

“I refuse to lose another brother, and this time I doubt I’ll be able to do anything about it.”

You forget to hold back your tears as you get down from the windowsill, Dirk gives you a weak smile, evidently feeling exactly like you are but as usual he’s putting everyone else before himself and hugs you. “It’s going to be ok.”

The time is once again fourteen past three in the afternoon, and you are going to meet up with your best pal and royal blacksmith John Egbert.

His neighbourhood is always so windy, especially as you get closer to his forge, it’s all operated through air and wind, or like he calls it ‘the breeze’. Honestly he’s just a show off in your opinion, but how can he not be when he’s one of the best blacksmiths in all of Skaia. Honestly you’re probably just jealous he’s got magic, it’s almost as if some cosmic flaw made you the only one of your friends to be born mundane. John has his windy thing, Rose can see the future and Jade is a werewolf with telekinetic powers. Maybe you’d have cool time powers like Crow in another universe, who knows. Though occasionally you do wonder if, like Crow, you’d grow to hate those powers.

“Dave!” he calls out to you pulling you out of your daze.

“Sup Egbert, how’s your forge doing?” Seriously? Is that all you got? Get yourself together Strider, this is so much easier through telegrams.

“Well, I’ve just closed up, since you know, we were meeting up and all,” he laughs as he locks up and floats towards you.

“Can you not be such a fucking show off?”

“That’s no way for a prince to talk,” he grins at you.

“It is when said prince is a Strider.”

“Alright Dave, how about you get one with what we’re doing today already before I get bored and actually go help Nanna with cakes!” there he is being ridiculous as usual, “nobody wants that Dave, nobody.”

“Yeah yeah you became a blacksmith for a reason, story of your life whatever. Well I for one would love some cake right now.”

He starts giving you a dirty look, all you do is smirk at him, “Dave.”

“You know, sometimes I wonder how on Hyalus your family of bakers managed to create you, a boy who for some unknown reason hates cakes. Not to mention that of all things you became a fucking blacksmith.”

“Dave!”

“Look relax, I ain’t taking you for cake, I’m not a monster.”

He’s still eying you suspiciously but he’s more relaxed hovering above you like the magic wielding asshole he is. “Will you at least tell me where we’re going?”

“No, have some patience Egbert, and can you fucking cut that out?!” fuck that was louder than you intended. “I’m trying to do something nice here against my better judgment and you’re just there floating like the windy douche you are.”

“Right sorry, it’s just fun to fly Dave,” he sounds so apologetic as he lands, you’re pretty sure that makes you the douche in this conversation.

“Fuck, no John, I’m being an ass.”

“You’re not the only one, I know how uncomfortable you are when we flaunt our magic around, so I’ll stop, for now.”

“Damnit Egbert, you’re not helping. Look we’re going to Western Valley, got us tickets at Ms Mendicant’s Peregrine Theatre.”

“How did you manage that? Ambrose would never let you spend that kind of money,” despite his disbelief he’s practically beaming with excitement. He’s always had a thing for plays, especially those linked to the supernatural as this Theatre in WV tends to put on.

“Simple, me and the Mayor there are pretty close, he got me two tickets. I know how much you love this shit, so we’re going.”

He starts skipping ahead but you lag behind, you do enough running at home and during training don’t need to be doing it on your time off too. So you take your time, nearly tripped on multiple occasions from keeping your eyes at the sky most of the time. One of the clouds in the sky begins showing images, a dirigible on fire, it appears to be night time, and the fire is a lime green colour. You’re pretty sure you imagined it, but remember Rose’s claims about prophetic clouds, you’ll make sure to send her a telegram when you get home about it.

Later, making sure to send Rose a telegram about it.

Messages from turntechGodhead [TG] transmitted to tentacleTherapist [TT] in the pm of 5:21.  
TG: im going to regret this but rose i need to talk to you  
TT: Is this about your crush on a certain blacksmith we both know?  
TG: what  
TG: no were not here to psychoanalyse me  
TT: Then what are we here for my dear Dave?  
TG: i think i saw something in the clouds earlier while i was out with Egbert  
TT: *waggles eyebrows suggestively*  
TG: rose  
TG: maybe you should be bugging dirk about his unrequited feelings for the harley in short shorts  
TT: I have and I will continue to do so when I find it appropriate to. What exactly did you see in the clouds? Was it the shapes of the clouds, or do you think you have seen things “inside” the clouds.  
TG: the cloud looked like a window viewing another location almost i saw it clearly there was an airship and it exploded  
TT: Unfortunately you are not seeing things.  
TG: thats a relief  
TG: wait what  
TG: what do you mean unfortunately  
TT: Unfortunately, I wouldn’t get to metaphorically pick apart your brain to find the route of the problem, because this is very real.  
TG: so youre telling me this is one of those *puffy oracles* you were talking about way back when  
TT: Precisely.  
TG: so how exactly does this shit work  
TG: how can clouds show images of things  
TT: Are you sure you want me to enlighten you Dave? Alright, specifically the “things” shown in the clouds are either the present, past or future relative to when they are being witnessed, more often than not the visions are tied to something personal to the viewer.  
TG: ok whatever how do they *work* rose  
TT: I was getting this that be patient Strider.  
TG: i havent got all day  
TT: Then stop wasting paper with all your red texts and let me get on with it.  
TG: ouch  
TT: Those who have a domain over the Aspect of Time are able to lock a moment into a shard and leave it somewhere in the timeline. These shards are both abstractions of the world as well as physical shards of glass. These shards can make many things, like crystal balls and magic mirrors.  
TG: so thats the secret to your wisdom as farseers or whatever  
TT: Precisely, as abstractions they can also evaporate like water, this is what gives some of our clouds prophetic properties, and potentially a few of our lakes as well.  
TG: well that was fucking enlightening  
TT: Your family has the largest domain over time in all of Skaia, and possibly all of Hyalus. You should have known about this.  
TG: ill remind you the one person who could have helped us in the timey wimey department died before i was even born  
TT: Yes that was rather insensitive of me. Regardless your boyfriend is about to send you a telegram so I shall make my way.  
TG: he’s not my boyfriend  
TT: My mistake, I’ve forgotten you require both parties to know they’re in a relationship for it to constitute as being boyfriends. Goodbye Dave.

Messages from ghostlyTrickster [GT] transmitted to turntechGodhead [TG] in the pm of 5:51.  
GT: hey.  
TG: sup egbert  
TG: we need to talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, this can't be good.


End file.
